15 Best Waterfall Hikes in the UK: Waterfall Walks in England, Wales and Scotland

Who doesn't love chasing waterfalls? The best waterfall hikes in the UK range from 20-minute strolls to proper half-day hikes. In Wales, you can walk behind Sgwd yr Eira on the Four Falls Trail. In England, the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail links a whole chain of falls, and Aira Force and High Force are real classics. In Scotland, Steall Falls drops 120 m in Glen Nevis and the Fairy Pools on Skye glow blue in the sun.

We have visited a few of these ourselves, like Whorneyside Force, Padley Gorge and the Fairy Pools. I researched the rest in detail, so here are 15 waterfall walks with distances, difficulty, parking fees, public transport and the safety rules that really matter. Which one will you visit first?

Quick answer

• Best all-round waterfall hike: Four Falls Trail, Bannau Brycheiniog (5 miles / 8 km, strenuous)
• Best for a full day of falls: Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, Yorkshire Dales (4.5 miles, paid entry)
• Most dramatic: Steall Falls, Glen Nevis (120 m drop, gorge path)
• Best short walks with kids: Aira Force, Golitha Falls, Swallow Falls, Lydford Gorge
• Best car-free: Padley Gorge (starts at Grindleford station), Aira Force (508 bus or Ullswater Steamer), Malham (bus from Skipton)
• Free to visit: Janet's Foss, Whorneyside Force, Padley Gorge, Golitha Falls, the Pennine Way side of High Force
• Safety rule number one: do not swim or wade in pools above or below big falls, especially after rain.

UK waterfall hikes compared

I checked prices in November 2026, but they change often, so check before you travel.

Best waterfall hikes in Wales

1. Four Falls Trail and Sgwd yr Eira, Bannau Brycheiniog

This is the most famous walk in "Waterfall Country" near Ystradfellte. It links four falls on the Mellte and Hepste rivers: Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd y Pannwr and Sgwd yr Eira. The best bit? At Sgwd yr Eira a rough ledge lets you walk behind the curtain of water! Natural Resources Wales grades the 5-mile (8 km) circuit strenuous. Allow 3–4 hours. The red-waymarked main route is fairly gentle. However, the green spurs down to the viewpoints are narrow, slippery and full of steps.

• Parking: Gwaun Hepste car park costs £6 per car (card-only machine at the time of writing). Cwm Porth is the alternative. Both are small and often full before midday, so arrive early.
• Toilets: there are limited toilets at the car parks and none on the trail.
• Honest note: Visit Wales describes the path behind Sgwd yr Eira as exceptionally slippery, and you will get wet. Unfortunately there have been several deaths here in recent years. Do not enter the rivers or pools.

2. Pistyll Rhaeadr, Berwyn Mountains

Pistyll Rhaeadr is one of the Seven Wonders of Wales. It falls about 73 m in total, in stages, at the head of a valley 4 miles from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant. People often call it the tallest waterfall in Wales, but that claim is disputed. The base is less than 200 m from the car park. A steep zigzag path climbs to the top in about 20 minutes, and from there the Berwyn hills open up.

• Getting there: the road is a narrow, 2-mile single track, and it gets busy in summer. Please do not park in passing places!
• Prices: the falls are free. The car park by Tan-y-Pistyll café is paid, with higher prices at weekends. Check the signs when you arrive.

3. Swallow Falls, Betws-y-Coed

Rhaeadr Ewynnol is on the Afon Llugwy, about 2 miles west of Betws-y-Coed in Eryri. If you walk from the village along the river, a quick stop turns into a lovely woodland walk. You view the falls through a turnstile.

• Prices: £2, paid by coins or contactless. It is open all year.
• Car-free: Betws-y-Coed has a railway station on the Conwy Valley line. Local Sherpa'r Wyddfa and T10 buses also stop near the falls (check Traveline Cymru).
• Pushchairs and wheelchairs: only from April to October, 10 am–3 pm.

Best waterfall hikes in England

4. Aira Force, Ullswater (Lake District)

Aira Force is a 65-foot (about 20 m) waterfall in a wooded ravine, framed by stone bridges. It is looked after by the National Trust. A short loop takes in the main fall and the cascades above it. If you want a longer day, the NT's Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park circular is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) with big views over Ullswater.

• Parking: £7 for 2 hours, £8.50 for 4 hours or £10 all day at the main car park (NT members park for free).
• Car-free: the Stagecoach 508 runs from Penrith in about 30 minutes. Or sail over with Ullswater Steamers from Glenridding.
• Paths: uneven, with steep stone steps and narrow sections.

5. Whorneyside Force, Great Langdale (Lake District)

This lovely hidden gem was all ours when we visited. It sits in a rocky amphitheatre beyond the Old Dungeon Ghyll, with a green plunge pool. The walk is about 6 km return from the Old Dungeon Ghyll with roughly 180 m of ascent, mostly on easy valley tracks. The 516 bus from Ambleside runs up Great Langdale. You can read our full route, parking and pub tips here: Whorneyside Force waterfall walk in the Lake District.

6. High Force, Teesdale (County Durham)

At High Force the River Tees plunges 21 m over the Whin Sill. It is most powerful after rain. The Raby Estate's woodland path on the north bank is paid. However, the Pennine Way on the opposite bank is a free right of way and gives you a different viewpoint. The North Pennines circular from Bowlees, via Low Force and Holwick Head Bridge, is 6.5–8 km with about 120 m of ascent. Allow 2.5–3 hours.

• Prices (estate side): adults £4 and children £2.50. With parking, it is £7 for an adult or £13 for a family. It is open daily from 10 am, and closes earlier in winter.
• Honest note: be careful near the cliff edge just east of the falls!

7. Janet's Foss and Gordale Scar, Malham (Yorkshire Dales)

Janet's Foss is a cute little waterfall pouring over tufa into a jade pool, in a wood full of wild garlic. About 1 km further on, the waterfalls of Gordale Scar burst through an overhanging limestone gorge. Add Malham Cove and you have one of the best half-day walks in England. It is about 8 km and takes 2.5–3.5 hours from the Malham National Park Centre (pay and display). Buses run from Skipton most days in season. Please do not scramble up Gordale's tufa waterfall, as the National Park asks walkers to avoid it. See our full Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss circular guide.

8. Ingleton Waterfalls Trail (Yorkshire Dales)

This privately run 4.5-mile (7.2 km) circular follows two rivers through wooded gorges past a chain of falls. One of them is the much-photographed Thornton Force. Allow 2–4 hours. Expect lots of steps and some steep sections.

• Prices (2026): adults £11 and under-16s £5.50. It is card only and you do not need to book. There is limited free parking for ticket holders.
• Opening: from 9 am daily. Last entry is as early as 2:30 pm in winter and 7 pm in summer. The trail may close in extreme weather.
• Dogs: welcome on a lead.

9. Padley Gorge, Peak District

Padley Gorge quickly became one of our favourite spots in the Peak District. Burbage Brook tumbles down a mossy, bouldery oak gorge with lots of small falls and pools. A loop of about 7 km with 180 m of ascent starts right at Grindleford station on the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester. So it is ideal by train. The falls are small, but the woodland is lovely in every season, and kids love paddling at the top. Full details here: Padley Gorge walk: chasing waterfalls in the Peak District.

10. Lydford Gorge, Devon

On the western edge of Dartmoor, the National Trust's Lydford Gorge hides the Whitelady Waterfall, which falls about 30 m. The rugged Waterfall trail is a circuit of about 1.75 miles (2.8 km). Expect steep slopes and narrow paths beside fast water.

• Season and prices: in winter (2 November 2026 to 14 March 2027) only the Waterfall trail is open, 10 am–3 pm. Entry is free, with a suggested donation. The Devil's Cauldron section reopens on 15 March 2027, when the adult fee is £6.50 (NT members free).
• Car-free: the Stagecoach 118 between Okehampton and Tavistock stops at both entrances.
• Parking: free.

11. Golitha Falls, Bodmin Moor (Cornwall)

At Golitha Falls National Nature Reserve, managed by Natural England, the River Fowey drops through a series of cascades in an ancient oak wood. From Draynes Bridge it is about ¾ mile (1.2 km) each way. The path is fairly flat at first, then gets rockier near the falls. It is a lovely, easy family walk.

• Parking: free car park with toilets. The café next door asks visitors to buy something.
• Tip: it gets muddy after heavy rain, so wear waterproof boots.

Best waterfall hikes in Scotland

12. Steall Falls, Glen Nevis

From the road end in Glen Nevis, a path winds through the narrow Nevis Gorge. Then it suddenly opens into a meadow facing An Steall Bàn, a 120 m ribbon of white water below the Mamores. It is about 3.5 km there and back, with around 200 m of ascent. In my opinion this is the most dramatic waterfall on the list.

• Parking: the Upper Falls car park at the end of the single-track road. There is no bus that far.
• Honest note: the gorge path is rocky and slippery, with drops beside it. The famous wire bridge is optional and a good way to get soaked. Do not try it when the river is high.

13. Falls of Foyers, Loch Ness

On the south-east side of Loch Ness, the River Foyers drops in two stages, 14 m and 30 m, into a wooded gorge. Fun fact: Robert Burns wrote a poem about them in 1787. Steep paths with lots of steps lead down from the car park near the shop and café at Upper Foyers. You can also carry on to the loch shore. Buses run to Foyers.

• Honest note: hydro-electric schemes since the 1890s have reduced the flow, so the falls look best after rain.

14. Grey Mare's Tail, Moffat Hills (Dumfries and Galloway)

This is a 60 m waterfall in a National Trust for Scotland nature reserve near Moffat. The viewpoint is just five minutes from the car park. The real hike climbs steeply beside the Tail Burn to Loch Skeen. It is about 3 miles (5 km) return with around 300 m of ascent. Allow about 2 hours. The NTS grades it difficult.

• Parking: £5 per day (NTS members free).
• Dogs: feral goats roam here, so keep dogs on a lead.

15. Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye

The Fairy Pools are clear blue-green pools and small waterfalls on the Allt Coir' a' Mhadaidh, below the Black Cuillin in Glenbrittle. It is about 2.4 km return to the first main waterfall and pool. I suggest carrying on upstream for quieter pools. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed when we visited on our Scotland road trip. Pictures on the Internet are a bit deceptive.

• Parking: £6 per car per day at the community-built car park. Viewing the pools is free. No overnight stays.
• Toilets: free toilets at the car park.
• Paths: steep and rough at the start, with a short rocky step after the second bridge. It is boggy after rain, and the water can rise fast.
• Getting there: single-track road only, not suitable for buses.

Waterfall walks near me: quick picks by region

• Lake District: Aira Force, Whorneyside Force
• Yorkshire Dales: Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, Janet's Foss and Gordale Scar
• North East: High Force
• Peak District: Padley Gorge
• South West: Lydford Gorge, Golitha Falls
• South Wales: Four Falls Trail
• North and Mid Wales: Swallow Falls, Pistyll Rhaeadr
• Highlands and Skye: Steall Falls, Falls of Foyers, Fairy Pools
• Southern Scotland: Grey Mare's Tail

Fancy a European extra? The Swiss gorges are stunning. See our guide to visiting Aare Gorge and Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland.

Safety near waterfalls

Waterfalls look best after heavy rain. Unfortunately, that is also when they are most dangerous. Natural Resources Wales notes several deaths in Waterfall Country in recent years.

• Stay out of plunge pools and rivers above or below big falls. The water is cold, deep and fast, with hidden rocks and undercurrents.
• Cold water shock can hit in water below 15°C, and the first effects last around 90 seconds. If you fall in, follow the RNLI's "Float to Live" advice. Lean back, spread your arms and legs, and control your breathing before you try to swim or call for help.
• Never go in after someone. Call 999, then throw something that floats.
• Mind the edges. Wet rock, moss and tree roots are lethal near drops. Keep children close and dogs on leads, and stay behind barriers.
• Check river levels and weather. Rivers rise fast. Footbridges and stepping stones can become dangerous within hours.
• Wear proper footwear, not trainers or sandals. Carry a warm layer and a head torch in winter.
• Signal is patchy in gorges, so tell someone your plan.

FAQ

What is the best waterfall hike in the UK?

For one walk with the most falls, the Four Falls Trail in Bannau Brycheiniog is hard to beat. It is an 8 km circuit past four waterfalls, including Sgwd yr Eira, which you can walk behind. Steall Falls in Glen Nevis is the most dramatic single fall on this list.

What is the tallest waterfall you can easily walk to in the UK?

Of the walks here, Steall Falls (about 120 m) and Pistyll Rhaeadr (about 73 m in total) are the tallest. The base of Pistyll Rhaeadr is only a few minutes from the car park. You can see Grey Mare's Tail (60 m) five minutes from its car park.

Are there free waterfall walks in the UK?

Yes. Janet's Foss and Gordale Scar, Whorneyside Force, Padley Gorge, Golitha Falls, the Falls of Foyers and the Pennine Way side of High Force are free to walk, though you may pay to park. Ingleton, the estate side of High Force and Swallow Falls charge entry.

Can you swim at UK waterfalls?

Some calm pools, like the Fairy Pools or Whorneyside Force, are popular with wild swimmers in summer. However, the water is cold all year, and pools under big falls are dangerous. In Waterfall Country, Natural Resources Wales asks visitors not to enter the rivers or pools at all.

What is the best time of year for waterfall hikes?

Late autumn to spring brings the biggest flow. Autumn also adds gorgeous colours to wooded gorges like Padley and Golitha. Avoid visiting during or straight after very heavy rain, when paths flood and rivers are dangerous. In winter, watch out for ice on steps and roads.

Which UK waterfall walks can I reach by public transport?

Padley Gorge (Grindleford station), Aira Force (508 bus or Ullswater Steamer), Whorneyside Force (516 bus), Malham (buses from Skipton), Swallow Falls (Betws-y-Coed station) and Lydford Gorge (118 bus) all work well without a car. Check Traveline before you go.

Which waterfall is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!